Rotary card filing device and card backing means therein



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H. L. NEILSEN Sept. 4, 1956 ROTARY CARD FILING DEVICE AND CARD BACKING MEANS THEREIN 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 3, 1951 5 40 /50 Tlrz. 20

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v A TTOR NE YS United States Patent() ROTARY CARD FILING DEVICE AND CARD BACKING MEANS THEREIN Hildanr L. Nielsen, Metuchen, N.

i American Corporation,

tion of New York J., assignor to Zephyr New York, N. Y., a corpora- The present invention relates to a rotary card tiling device, preferably of the type disclosed in my copending application for Rotary Card Filing Device, Serial No. 218,363, filed March 30, 1951, now Patent No. 2,731,017. In such a device rotary wheel means are adapted to carry around therewith a circular stack of index cards and guide tabs. The present invention more particularly contemplates use therein of card backing means to facilitate posting entries on card faces without removal of cards.

A general object of the present invention is to provide certain simple, easily and cheaply made, and readily and economically mountable card backing means for or in rotary card filing devices of such type. The card backing means is such as will tend to support and temporarily hold in a relatively fixed position an otherwise movable and relatively liexible card with suiiicient effectiveness and rigidity as to permit ready manual writing or posting of entries on an exposed face thereof without necessitating removal from the circular stack and without unduly interferring with desired rotation of the latter.

A more specific object of the present invention is to provide suchbacking means in the form of simple bracket structure with portions thereof projecting a relatively short distance into an outer part of the circular zone of card travel so that the cards in forward rotation are capable of riing therepast easily while being adapted, upon cessation of card rotation, effectively to back any adjacent card to facilitate manual posting of entries on one or more card faces exposed at `a near stack separation. I Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement ofparts, which will be exemplied in the construction hereinafter set forth, and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims. v

Fora fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view, with parts broken away, of a card filing device of the indicated type wherein two circular stacks are adjacently mounted on rotary wheelmeans, with the casing parts in open positions; the cards of onestack being shown riiing forward past an embodi-I ment of -card backing means of the present invention while cards of the other stack are shown being brought effectively to rest against such backing means preparatory to manual entry of data on either or both of the card faces exposed at the shown stack separation;

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation, with parts broken away, taken substantially on line 2--2 of Fig. 1;

lFigure 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing, after cessathe rear portion of a card 'ice tion of forward rotation of a stack, the act of entering data manually on the leading exposed card face defining the back of the stack separation angle with effective employment of rear backing means;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing the act of entering data manually on the trailing exposed card face defining the front of the stack separation angle with effective employment of front backing means;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged perspective View, with parts broken away, of card backing bracket structure shown in Figs. 1 to 4, incl.;

Fig. 6 is a detail or top away, of casing structure, ably mounted therein, bracket structure;

Fig. 7`is a view similar to Fig. 2 of the modified structure of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 3 (without the pencil being shown) showing a modified form of rear card backing bracket structure; and

Fig. 9 is a top plan view,

plan view, with parts broken a circular stack of cards rotatand modified front card backing with parts broken away, of tiling device similar to that shown in Fig. 1 as modified by the employment of the card backing structure shown in Fig. 8.

Referring to the drawings, in which like numerals identify similar parts throughout, it will be seen that an embodiment of the invention shown, by way of example, in Figs. l to 5 incl. may comprise an opentop casing base receptacle 10, preferably formed of sheet metal, having a substantially rectangular bottom 11;,a relatively shallow, substantially rectangular front panel 12; a deeper back panel 13 having an arcuately-shaped upper portion 14; and side panels 15, 15 each preferably provided with a sector-shaped wing 16. Each sectorshaped wing 16 defines a journalling portion of each side panel 15 of the casing base. The casing also includes an arcuate closing hood 17 adapted to be nested in the casing base 10 when swung back to the card-exposing position shown in the drawings, and includes an arcuatelyshaped or curved top 18 adapted to be rotated inward of the curved portion 14 of the back panel 13, and laterallyspaced arcuate side walls 19, 19 located inwardly of and juxtaposed to casing base side panels 15, 15. The side walls 19, 19 of the hood 17 may also include sectorshaped wings 20, 2t) likewise dening journalling portions thereof. Preferably, as best seen in Fig. 2, the front edge of the curved top 18 of hood 17 is turned radially outwardly to provide a lip flange 21 to serve as a stop for alternate cooperative engagement of an inturned ange 22 on the top edge of the front panel 12 (as indicated in dotted lines) when the casing is closed, and top edge 23 of curved portion 14 of back panel 13 when the casing is open. l Itis preferred that stop ange 21 be equipped with a trim strip or covering molding 24.

The sector-shaped wings 16, 16 of casing base 10 are suitably apertured to provide journals for transverse through shaft means 25 consisting of a single length or made up of a plurality of aligned lengths. The sectorshaped wings 29, 20 of hood 17 are likewise apertured to journal the hood 17 on shaft means 25 when the latter is received therethrough and rotatably supported in base wings 16, 16 with the hood nested in the casing base receptacle, as shown. Through shaft means 25 has projecting `ends extending outwardly of casing base side panels 15,

25 is made up of two or more aligned lengths each .knob 26 may rotate one relative to the other. As will be seen from Fig. l, shaft .means 25 carries .a rotary structure 27 comprising two sections with each of the latter carrying a pair of laterally-spaced rail wheels 28, 28, and suitable spacing means or sleeves 127 and 227. Each pair of rail wheels 28, 28 is adapted to be rotated by the knob 26 outboard thereof, irrespective of rest or movement of the other pair. A circular stack of substantially rectangular index cards 29-29 .are -mounted -on each pair of the laterally-spaced .rail wheels .28, .2S by loose reception .of the latter in a pair of T-shaped slots in each card. Consequently, the index cards 29--29 may individually .slide around the pair yof its mounting rail wheels 28, 28 but .a stack thereof tends to limitisuch 'sliding to a small extent so that .the cards arecarried around lwith rotation ofthe rail wheels on which they are mounted. The 'rotary structure 27 may be of .the type illustrated 'in Fig. l6 of my identified application to permit the Atwo stacks to be individually rotated 'in such manner.

The present invention `features card 'backing means, either asan accessory to or in combination'with structural elements of the rotary card tiling device previouslydescribed. Usually index cards, such as those illustrated at 29, are Aformed of relatively thin pressed 'board or"stitf paper having a fair degree of flexibility, which facilitates their .handling in typewriters. However, such flexibility occasions ditiiculty in manual posting of data thereon with the card left in the device. Thus, lthe card `backing means of the present invention not only provides suitable backing support for any particular or selected card to `facilitate manual posting of entries thereon, but also is so designed as to cooperate with a group of those cards so that the composite body of the group provides stitfening of the top card and effective backing for the exposed face of that card on which entries are to be manually posted. For this purpose, suitable bracket means are provided having a portion or portions, extending a relatively short .distance into the circular zone of travel described by the stack of cards in rotation, preferably in thevi'cinity of the circular path described by the outer edges of the cards. A preferred embodiment of such card backing means is shown in Figs. l to incl., wherein it is proposed to employ such means in a twin stack rotary card tiling unit, with `each ofthe two stacks. It will be understood that such card backing means may be employed to advantage in a single stack device but it has been found there is less need for such means in single stack devices than there is in plural stack devices.

The preferred card backing means may comprise for each circular stack of .cards 29--29 a pair of laterallyspaced brackets'30, 30 secured in any suitable manner, such as by .spot welding, to the inner face of curved `-top portion 18 `of hood 17 inthe vicinity of itsfront'edge or lip 21. .Each bracket 30 has a portion 31 projecting inwardly, and preferably substantially radially, toward shaft 25er the axis of rail wheels 28, 28. The length of projecting portion.31 of Veach card backing bracket-30 preferably Vis of alength as .to project a short distance, or slightly,

into the .circular zone of travel described by the `cards 29- 29 .in rotation and in the vicinity of the circular path 32 described .by the outer-edges 33--33 of the cards, as best seen in Fig. 2. Suchfstructure provides toward the back and near .the top of the .rotary card tiling device, `when the lhood .is in the shown open position, card backing means for the leading exposed card face 129 dening-the back of stack separation angle X.

The stack separation indicated at X is provided .by a natural tendency for adjacent cards in a stack to spread apart on the .upper side thereof toward the front in forward rotation of the stack by virtue of the fact that the outercircumference of the circular rail elements of wheels 28, 28 is usually appreciably greater than the combined thickness of the stack of cards when unmounted, and since .the circumference'of the zone of travel is very much greater than the. outer circumference of the rail wheel structure, thereby providing an appreciable amount of space between many of the adjacent outer card edges 33-33. Also, such natural stack separation or spreading is enhanced by the loose mounting of the rail elements of wheels 28, 28 in the card slots. As a result, when a stack of cards 29-29 is rotated forward by one of the knobs 26, their respective inner edges 34-34 are dragged forward with a certain amount of card lay-back and with many or most of the cards separated from each other at least at their outer edges 33t- 33, as indicated in Fig. 2. Thus, each card 29 is substantially unbacked by following cards so that its flexibility will permit such flexure as to allow .its outer edge 133 to spring .past the :inward end of projecting portion .3.1 .of each card backing bracket 30. Consequently, rotation .of the .stack of cards 29--29 causes their outer edges -to ritfle and spring jp'ast the pair of backing brackets 30, 30, also as illustrated in Fig. 2. During such forward rotation, the cards will leaf over successively at the stack separation by force fof gravity, so that a card whose leading exposed face .129 had detined the back of the stack separation angle X will next have its trailing exposed face 229 deiine the front of that stack separation angle.

In operation of that embodiment of the present invent'ion, let it be assumed 'that the operator desires to apply indicia manually to the leading exposed card face 1`2'9 'of the card at position Y in Fig. 2. Upon cessation of forward rotation ofthe stack, the operator may then turn it back a short distance in the direction of the arrow 35 in Fig. 3, such as by application of slight manual pressure on leading card face 129, so that the card which last snapped past the pair of backing brackets 30, 30, indicated at 36 in Fig. 2, will be returned or pushed back substantially to radial abutment line Z shown in Fig. 3, with its outer edge 33 supported by the pair of brackets. If the cards 29-29 were made of stiff board, or the like, having 'sufficient inherent rigidity, card 36 alone would be effectively supported by the backing brackets 30, 30 so as to permit posting of entries thereon, and such use of the 'invention is contemplated within the scope thereof. However, as previously pointed out, it is usual that such cards have a fair degree of flexibility, vand thus a plurality thereof stacked `up to back the preceding stack separation exposed face 129 is needed to provide the rigidity necessary to the posting of entries on that exposed face with a pencil, or the like, as indicated at 37 in Fig. 3. Thls desirable feature largely dictates the operative vpositions of brackets 30, 30. v

It is not essential to practice of the present invention that a pair of laterally-spaced brackets 30, 30 be einployed for such vbacking function .since a single bracket located substantially intermediate the card side edges will perform certain desired lbacking iaction, but it has `been found that the pair of brackets, each located between the mid-'point of the outer card 'edge 33 and a side edge, as proposed in Fig. 1,gives effective operation ina desirable manner. Further, it will be obvious that a single bracket which will provide support for the major portion of the outer card edge 33, such as across from the indicated locations of one 4bracket 30 to the other, will give proper backing operation, 4but such structure is more costly Aand has been found Sto be unnecessary.

As most clearly indicated .in Fig. 5, the terminal end of projecting bracket portion 31 advantageously may be equipped with freely -rotatable roller means. Such roller means may be provided by transversely slotting the end of bracket portion 31 at 38 to provide `a transverse rod or bar 39 of certain cross-sectional size. A curved strip of l sheet material, such as deformable plastic or metal, may

be vinserted through the slot 38 Aand shaped Yto cylindrical formtoprovide roller 40 having the hole therethrough of a cross-sectional size appreciably larger than 'the c'r'sssectional size of bar or rod 39 so as to permit appreciable radial play of the cylinder about the rod. As a result,

outer .edge 33 of each -card 29 contacts and rides against .avarice a pair of the rotatable rollers 40 to facilitate their riling therepast. The cylindrical surface of each of the rollers 40, 40 preferably has a relatively ylow degree of curvature by virtue of its relatively large 'cross-sectional size; and that coupled with the freedom with which it is permitted freely to rotate and play about itsfrelatively small axle rod 39 may facilitate the` effectiveness 'of the backing thereby, thickness of the sheet material from which the rollers are formed between the top surface of the bracket portion 31 and the back face of the card.

Since it is desirable also manually to post entries on the trailing exposed card face 229 defining the front of the stack separation angle X, similar backing brackets 130, 130 are preferably provided at the front of the rotary index device. As shown in Fig. 2, such brackets 130, 130 are of a structure similar to brackets 30, 30 and are secured to the inner face of the top edge of front wall 12 adjacent its flange 22 in any suitable manner, such as by spot welding, tions 31, 31 projecting inwardly a relatively short distance into the zone of travel of the stack of cards 29--29 toward the drum structure 27. As shown in Fig. 4, when it is desired manually to post an entry on the trailing exposed card face defining the front of the stack separation angle X, forward rotation of the stack is discontinued so that the cards in the group collected above the brackets 130, 130, indicated in Fig. 2, may hinge down and become somewhat compacted, as indicated in Fig. 4, with the bottom card 41 of that group having its outer edge 33 resting securely on projecting portions 31, 31 of those front brackets. Such compacting of the group of cards may be accomplished by a slight forward rotation of the stack in the -direction of the arrow 42 approximately to the line of rest ZZ as shown in Fig. 4, such as by application of slight manual pressure on trailing card face 229, particularly as entry with the use of pencil 37 is begun.

It is apparent from the drawings and from the previous discussion of the action of the cards with respect to the rear backing brackets 30, mounted on the hood 17, that the cards will be successively riflled past the front backing brackets 130, 130 in forward rotation of the circular stack in a smiliar manner until that rotation ceases. The weight of the group of cards upon the front brackets 130, 130 may be more than the pressure of the spaced cards successively against the back brackets 30, 30 in forward rotation of the circular stack, thereby tending to lessen ilexure of each rested card 41. However, the outer edge 33 of each card, as it is brought to the contacting position 41 relative to the front brackets 130, 130, is readily freed past the front bracket rollers 40, since lay-back of the entire group will be increased with continued forward rotation of the rail wheels 28, 28 and consequent forward drag of the inner card edges 34-34, so as successively to pull the card outer edges 33--33 from above the front brackets.

Another embodiment of the front bracket structure is shown in Figs. 6 and 7 and, as there indicated, may comprise a pair of laterally-spaced brackets 230, 230, each curved up, over inwardly and then down to provide a rounded supporting shoulder 43 with a curved terminal end 44 extending in the direction of card rotation. The shoulder 43 is projected into the circular path of the outer edges 33--33 of the cards 2.9--29 a similar relatively short distance so as to function in a manner similar to front brackets 13b-B in the backing of certain groups of cards.

As indicated in Figs. 8 and 9, it is not necessary 'that card backing brackets be so mounted in a rotary card index device as to extend the circular zone of travel of the stack of cards from positions radially outward of the circular path of the outer edges 33-33 of the cards, as in p Figs. l to 4, incl. As shown in Figs. 8 and 9, the projecting portions of such bracket means may project into the zone of travel from the sides thereof. For example,

since it interposes little more than the y with their roller-equipped porthere may be provided a pair of card backing brackets for each circular stack of cards by a laterally-projecting pin or finger 45 mounted on the inner face of hood side wall 19 and a similar finger 145 forming part of a T- headed bracket 46 mounted on and medially of the inner face of the curved hood top 18, laterally-extending pins will engage behind the corner portions of the outer edge 33 of each card 29 to back it similarly as in the case of brackets 30, 30. It is to be understood that if, due to a relatively high degree of flexibility of the cards, support by the spaced brackets is desired at points nearer the middle of each outer card edge 33, the fingers 45 and 145 may be lengthened or a continuous bar may be substituted therefor. Such continuous bar, which may extend across one or both the circular paths of the outer edges 33-33 of the two stacks of cards 29-29, of course, may be in the form of a freely rotatable roller to facilitate riiiing of the cards therepast.

It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those made apparent from the preceding description are eiciently attained and, since certain changes may be made in the above construction and different embodiments of the invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In a rotary card tiling device having a circular,

v rotary, card holder for so holding a circular stack of resilient cards as to provide angular separation of the cards at a circumferential point to permit writing to be applied, conveniently, upon card faces defining such an angle of separation; backing means, for backing such a card at one side of said angle of separation, comprising abutment means supported, against movement radially of said stack, at a point clear of the Zone of travel described by the stack of cards during rotation and having an abutment member projecting continuously into said zone to a card supporting position which is within but relatively close to the radially outermost limit of said zone of travel and toward one side of said angle of separation and at the side of the said card which is remote from said angle; the adjacency of the card supporting position of said abutment member to the said radially outermost limit of the said zone of travel being such as to permit cards in such a stack to resiliently ex and riflle past the abutment member during rotation of the card holder when said cards are in positions substantially tangential to the axis of rotation of the card holder but to back a card in such a stack against passage past said abutment member when the card holder is at rest and said card is approximately radial to said axis; and the device and its card backing means further including a stationary casing base having a top opening and an arcuate cover member which is pivotable to close said opening; said cover member being adjacent to the radially outermost limit of said circular zone of travel; said cover members center of curvature and of pivotal movement coinciding substantially with the card holders axis of rotation; and the said abutment means being supported toward one arcuate extremity of said cover member in position to back a card of such a card stack when the cover member is in open position.

2. A rotary card tiling device and card backing means therefor according to claim l, further including additional abutment means having a second such abutment member xed to said casing base adjacent to the latters as shown. Such opposed 7 8 said top opening; the two said abutment members, when 704,003 Crist- July 8, 1902 the cover member is in open position, being adapted 1,315,898' Adams Sept. 9 1919 to bek two eards dening opposite sides of said angle of 1,358,331 R'oow Nov.' 9, 1920 separation. 1,476,157 Fleming Dec. 14, 41923 s 1,596,741 Kranz Aug. '17, 1926 References Cited in the le of this patent 2,384,355 Ton-ence et a1, Sept, 4, '1945 UNITED `515113135 PATENTS 2,486,820 Bruen N0v 1, 1949 597,759 casler Jan. 25,1898 

